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Pink and Red Wildflower Gallery

Bilateral Symmetry - Legume Family

        

Fabaceae (Leguminosae) - Legume family
Common Vetch (Spring Vetch) Vicia sativa
3/8" wide pink flower grows in clusters. A long tendril grows at the end of the leaf (modified leaflet). Flat pod about 1"-2" long.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, April 2005
(Introduced - but not listed in my area)

           

Fabaceae (Leguminosae) - Legume family
Louisiana Vetch (Dear Pea Vetch, Slim Vetch) Vicia ludoviciana
3/8" wide flower grows in groups, can be a purple color. One to several short tendrils grows at the end of leaf (modified leaflet). Branches can grow several feet long. Eaten by wildlife and cattle.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, April 2005
(Native of Texas - Taylor, etc.)

              

Fabaceae (Leguminosae) - Legume family
Austrian Winter Pea Pisum sativum
There are many varieties of this plant in cultivation and common names abound. Peas have been cultivated for nearly 8000 years. 1/2" long flower. Three long tendrils grow at the end of vine. Lower leaves are double and clasping. Upper leaves have short stem. Eaten by wildlife and cattle.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, May 2006
(Native of Mid East, cultivated plant)

              

Fabaceae (Leguminosae) - Legume family
Tall Bushclover (Stueve Lespedeza, Stueve's Bushclover) Lespedeza stuevei
Flowers are pink to rose-purple and crowded close to the stem. Seed pods are flat, spade-shaped, veined, semi-translucent. Elongated oval trifoliate leaves have a prominent mid-rib on back, small hairs on top, velvety beneath. Hairy stems. Single erect stem with no branching grows 2-3 feet tall.
Flower photos taken by Sonnia Hill in Van Zandt County, Texas, September 2002
Photos taken in Van Zandt County, Texas, November 2006
(Native of east Texas - Callahan, Brown)

Similar Species

Hairy Bushclover Lespedeza hirta
Small white "pea" flowers, 1/4" long, with purple/red stripes on large upper lobe. They grow in clusters on long stalks. After flowers are spent fuzzy red pompoms remain. Seed pods are flat, semi-translucent, and spade-shaped. Round trifoliate leaves on short petiole with prominent mid-rib on back. Hairy stems. Single erect stem with no branching grows 2-3 feet tall.
(Native of east Texas - not in my area)

Texas Lespedeza Lespedeza texana
Pink petals that fold back. Tiny oval leaves of various sizes.
(Native of Texas - Taylor)

Slender Bushclover (Slender Lespedeza) Lespedeza virginica

Flowers are pinkish-purple or white with dark purple patches at the base, 2 needle-like bracts. Flowers crowded close to the stem in the upper leaf axils. Seed pods are flat, semi-translucent, and round spade-shaped. Leaves are oblong, 3 times the width, needle-like stipules at base. Erect stem to 3 feet tall.

(Native of Texas - Taylor)